Home ⟩The People of USC Chan ⟩Meet Our Trojan Family ⟩Entry-Level Doctorate (OTD)

Melissa Pena MA ’20

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I have a cousin who is a physical therapist, and other family members in the healthcare field. I also have a cousin who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, and so they have all unintentionally guided me to the field of OT. When I learned more about how OT is a wonderful combination of both health and social sciences, I was immediately drawn.

What area of practice are you interested in?
I have so many interests in many different areas (just shows the beauty of how broad this field is!). Spinal Cord Injury, oncology, and gerontology are at the top. However, I just recently found a lot of interest in Lifestyle Redesign and Mental Health. (I’m in the Mental Health Immersion right now and in love with it so far!)

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I love going to the gym, going on walks or hikes, being at the beach, trying new recipes I find on Pinterest, seeing live music, and binge-watching shows.

If your childhood had a smell, what would it be?
Fruit Roll Ups and Gushers.

What are some small things that make your day better?
To me, being outside in the sunshine or being by the ocean makes the world of a difference (CA girl born and raised)! Also ice cream. You can never go wrong with ice cream.

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USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. All states require licensure to practice; a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT® OTR certification examination or attain state licensure. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.